Still On That FG ‘N660bn’ Innoson’s Car Deal

Adeboye 'Fall My Hand'

Last week, the Federal Government gave Nigerians, especially those from eastern extraction, something to cheer with the news of the award of contract for the purchase of vehicles from local entrepreneur, Innoson Motors. At least that will dispel those oft-told stories of President Muhammadu Buhari’s aversion for the south east.

Disregard the Second Niger Bridge, which some Buhari’s loyalists continue to mention as evidence of his love for that region, because I refuse to concur that that bridge is meant for south-east travellers as that bridge would benefit all those travelling through Anambra all the way to the north. Anambra is bounded by the states of Kogi on the north, Enugu on the east, Abia on the southeast, Imo and Rivers on the south, and Delta and Edo on the west.

The 2nd Niger Bridge also, is expected to boost economic activities and open up development in that part of the country, as well as impact on economic activities and growth of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Of course, Buhari deserves commendation for seeing it through, but it must be seen for its economic value to the entire nation and not a gift to the south east alone.

The Federal Government had last Wednesday approved a contract to indigenous motor company Innoson, to supply 21 vehicles to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, at Aso Rock Villa.

He confirmed that the “contract was in favour of Messrs Innoson Manufacturing Company at the sum of N660,422,220 and it’s made up of 20 pick-up vehicles and one City Bus”.

According to him, “it is in the spirit of encouraging our local industries that the contract was awarded to Innosons Motors”.

The Buhari administration must be commended for this gesture. If my memory serves me well, the federal government also did this in 2019 to the same FRSC when 177 cars were procured from Innoson Motors. You would ordinarily think that this is a no-brainer, given the very many benefits inherent in this deal. Not only does it help to grow the local manufacturers, it also ensures that our jobs are retained here.

To think that before now, we had always patronised foreign brands and inadvertently shipped our jobs out and also denied our local manufacturers the necessary financial and political support they need to grow into international brands, only makes one wonder if indeed we have been sincere in our claims of wanting to grow local industries.

Buhari also stands commended for doing what even our legislators from across the states, and federation as well as many state governors who would always patronize foreign brands, cannot do. Not even legislators from the south east and most south east governors have dimmed it fit to patronize one of their own.

When some Nigerians were criticizing the National Assembly for always patronizing foreign cars, you would have thought that at least the legislators from the South East should show the way by insisting that theirs be purchased from Innoson. But rather they are more interested in cars from Germany, Japan and the rest.

When you realize that the president had been widely criticised when in August this year, it was revealed that the federal government approved N1,145,000,000 for the purchase and supply of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles to the Niger Republic, then you will understand the importance and significance of this gesture.

The criticism then was apart from the fact that the gesture was coming at a time when the nation is experiencing dwindling resources, the president also chose to purchase Toyota vehicles rather than patronizing local manufacturers. That, many felt, was a wrong thing to do.

Perhaps, realizing its mistakes and not wanting to be caught in that same web of criticism again, the federal government took this noble gesture in the best interest of the nation.

It is hoped that our state governors and other political office holders would take a cue from this and start to patronize local manufactured goods; especially at this time when accessing foreign exchange is becoming scarce and the naira is daily losing its value and inflation is spiraling at a dizzying proportion.

Speaking to NAN in 2019, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, and the Chairman of Innoson Motors revealed that eight states and Nigerian Military have patronised IVM products as part of Buhari’s massive support for the firm.

Chukwuma also made mention of Ekiti, Ebonyi, Imo, Kogi, Enugu, Gombe, Anambra and Bauchi, and also the Nigeria’s Military, as key states patronising Innoson motors.

Mr Chukwuma further said that if patronage is given to his firm, it could transform Nigeria into a vehicle manufacturing hub in Africa in no distant time.

However, desirable as that gesture may be, it is not clear what manner of operational vehicles the federal government would be buying for the FRSC that would cost N660 billion for 21 units.

Strangely too, some newspapers reported N660 billion others said it was N660 million. The federal government would do well to clarify this because N660 billion is too outrageous to believe.

If the FG had spent over a billion to purchase 10 Toyota then it is very unlikely that the 21 units would cost N660 million. The FG would do well to tell the nation the true situation.

At N660 billion, the cost of each vehicle would be something in the region of N31,448,677 when accumulated that would be N660,422,219 to be precise.

Whereas the FG is commended for the move, N660 billion is a humongous sum to pay for an operational vehicle for FRSC whose reputation for poor handling of its vehicles is second only to the Nigeria Police Force.

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